The map of the digital fraud The landscape is rapidly shifting, and private messaging apps have taken center stage. While a few years ago most scams were concentrated on open social networks, cybercriminals now prefer to operate in encrypted channels where control is more difficult and the trail is much less clear.
In this new distribution of roles, Telegram has become the platform where cyber scams are growing the most.Various data collected by Revolut in the fourth edition of its Consumer Security and Financial Crime Report point to a very significant jump in fraud cases linked to this application, both internationally and in Spain.
Telegram, the app where scams are skyrocketing
According to the study, the incidents of Fraud originating from Telegram has increased by 233% globally compared to 2024This surge positions it as the platform where scams have intensified the most in the last year. This growth is striking not only because of the percentage, but also because of its growing importance within the overall market.
In aggregate terms, Telegram now accounts for approximately one fifth (21%) of all reported scams worldwide to Revolut. That is, one in five scams reported to the entity originates from this messaging application, which combines private chats, mass channels and a high degree of relative anonymity.
The report's authors describe a clear paradigm shift in the way scammers operateThey are abandoning public social networks to "take refuge" in encrypted environments. This shift to private messaging allows criminals to move their campaigns more quickly, reduce the visibility of their activities, and better evade traditional monitoring mechanisms.
Revolut points out that the closed nature and end-to-end encryption, highly valued by those seeking legitimate privacy, has also become a strategic tool for concealing complex fraud schemesThe platform itself is described as “particularly effective” at orchestrating sophisticated scams that combine social engineering, false advertising, and psychological pressure on victims.
Spain: Telegram leads in scams, and online shopping is the target.
If the focus is placed on SpainThe impact is even clearer. The Revolut report ranks Telegram as the social network where the highest number of scams were recorded in 2025, with 22% of all cases reported to the agency from our country. In other words, more than one in five scams reported by Spanish users originated from this app.
The bank explains that the criminals are by leveraging the app's private and encrypted environment to rapidly scale its operationsThis dynamic is causing many scams that were previously channeled through advertisements or messages on open social networks to move to encrypted chats and channels, where supervision is less and contact with the victim is more direct.
By type of fraud, the scams related to online shopping These are the ones that are most frequently repeated in SpainIn 2025, they accounted for 53% of reported cases, slightly more than half of the total. They typically rely on posts that mimic well-known stores, supposed last-minute bargains, or highly sought-after products at aggressive prices that, in reality, never reach the buyer.
This pattern of deception, based on fake websites or fraudulent payment gateways, feeds on both dubious advertising on social media such as direct messages sent through messaging apps. The user believes they are accessing a legitimate offer, makes the payment, and when they try to complain, discovers that the store has disappeared or never existed.
Fake job offers: Telegram accounts for more than half
Beyond the purchases, the report highlights a particularly worrying phenomenon: boom in scams linked to alleged job offersGlobally, this type of fraud has tripled compared to the previous year and already represents 22% of all cases detected in 2025.
In this area, Telegram has established itself as the main platform. According to Revolut data, 58% of employment-related scams globally originate on this platformIn other words, more than half of these types of scams originate in Telegram conversations or channels, often disguised as attractive and flexible job opportunities.
The modus operandi usually follows a fairly similar script: the criminals offer Easy jobs, high income, or work from home These scams require little experience. Once they have the victim's attention, they ask for upfront payments for materials, training, administrative fees, or supposed verification processes. When the money changes hands, contact is cut off and the offer disappears.
The combination of financial need, the search for extra income, and the appearance of a friendly relationship in a private chat creates the perfect breeding ground. Revolut emphasizes that the rise in this type of fraud reflects how scammers They quickly adapt their discourse to the concerns of the labor market.taking advantage of any context of uncertainty or high unemployment.
Meta remains in the lead in volume and TikTok is skyrocketing
The rise in scams on Telegram doesn't mean the problem has diminished on other platforms. The Revolut report indicates that the ecosystem of Meta -which includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads- continues to be, in absolute terms, the main source of reported fraud.
In 2025, Meta's platforms concentrated the 44% of all scams reported to Revolut worldwideFacebook's parent company has thus recorded its fourth consecutive period leading the statistics as the main source of these scams, despite the strengthening of its ad moderation and control tools.
Among Meta's services, Facebook continues to stand out as the network with the most detected cases.especially in purchase and sale fraud, cloned websites, and fake promotions. However, the trend points to a gradual shift towards private messaging, where it is more difficult to proactively block or track those responsible.
The study also focuses on TikTokAlthough its overall share of scam volume remains lower than that of other networks, the percentage of fraud originating from the app has multiplied by six in just one yearThis jump indicates that the short video platform has become an increasingly attractive terrain for deceptive campaigns targeting young audiences.
Fraudulent advertising and millions in profits in Europe
A significant part of the problem lies in the misleading advertising spread on social mediaThe Revolut report incorporates data from Juniper Research that quantifies this phenomenon: the parent companies of the main platforms obtained around €4.400 billion in revenue in Europe in 2025 thanks to fraudulent ads aimed at users on the continent.
This economic volume reflects both the magnitude of the fraud and the incentives that still exist for certain content to slip through the filters. Although most campaigns are legitimate, a significant proportion of ads promote non-existent investments, phantom stores, dubious financial services, or raffles that never take place.
The sophistication of these messages has increased. They often mimic the visual identity of well-known brands, using advanced segmentation techniques and they rely on creatives generated with artificial intelligence tools, which makes it more difficult for the average user to distinguish them from a real offer.
This scenario, coupled with the shift of fraud towards encrypted environments like Telegram, reinforces the need for major technology companies assume greater responsibility for detecting and filtering problematic content, something that the report itself highlights as an outstanding priority.
Regulatory pressure and the financial sector's response
In response to the rise in online fraud, the The European Union is strengthening its regulatory framework to try to curb the trend. The upcoming Payment Services Regulation (PSR) and the specific strategy against digital fraud aim to establish stricter obligations for banks, payment providers, and technology platforms.
In the case of Spain, the report positively assesses the New measures launched by the Government to combat digital scamsThese initiatives aim to improve cooperation between financial institutions, telecommunications operators, and social media networks. Key objectives include strengthening supervisory systems and clarifying the responsibilities of each actor when fraud occurs.
Revolut, which claims to dedicate nearly a third of its global workforce to the prevention of financial crimesIn recent months, the bank has launched several initiatives aimed at detecting fraud before money leaves a user's account. Among these, the bank highlights the deployment of an AI-powered scam detection chatbot, known as Scam Buster, which analyzes the context of transactions and issues personalized warnings when it identifies suspicious behavior.
The organization has also incorporated tools such as Street modewhich allows you to configure trusted locations for transactions, and systems of call verification within the app itself to help customers determine if the person contacting them is truly an authorized employee or an imposter. Furthermore, it has promoted events such as the Revolut FinCrime Summit, which brought together regulators and experts to share best practices in combating financial crime.
Their head of financial crimes, Woody Malouf, sums up the situation by pointing out that The speed at which scams spread on Telegram illustrates how quickly criminal tactics evolve.In his opinion, the digital ecosystem is only as secure as its weakest link, which is why he is calling on social media and messaging companies to step up and make user protection a shared priority.
A change of scenario that requires extreme caution
The data that places Telegram as the platform with the highest relative volume of growing cyber scamsMeta's continued lead in total number of cases and TikTok's sharp increase paint a picture where no major app escapes scrutiny. The shift of fraud towards encrypted chats, coupled with the rise of fake job offers and the prevalence of deceptive advertising, creates a challenging environment for both regulators and users.
In Europe, and very visibly in Spain, the combination of fraudulent online purchasesDeceptive job schemes and manipulated advertisements make caution more necessary than ever. Calmly verify the identity of anyone contacting you, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, and carefully review website addresses. protect your iPhone from theft And avoiding advance payments in dubious contexts are basic steps that can significantly reduce the risk of falling into the trap.
